Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei agreed yesterday to pardon or reduce the sentences
of 878 people in honor of the Prophet Mohammad’s birthday today, the state news agency IRNA
reported.

In September, about 80 political prisoners were released, including prominent human-rights
activist and lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, just before a trip by President Hassan Rouhani to the U.N.
General Assembly in New York. In October, another 1,241 prisoners were pardoned, according to the
Nasim news agency.

IRNA did not say whether any of those pardoned yesterday had been convicted of political
offenses.